Our journey, Chapter 13: St. Christopher
After we left the villa on Turtle Beach and returned the rental car, we made our way to the Marriott Beach Club on St. Kitts. We debated looking at properties on Nevis, having not seen anything on St. Kitts we liked in our budget, but after our experience on St. John, Natalie was hesitant to consider somewhere the local hospital is more realistically a clinic. So, this week was dedicated to enjoying the sun, restaurant hopping and exploring more of the island. And, we were blessed to be joined by good friends, Dana and Bob.
St. Kitts has some wonderful eateries. One of our favorites is Coconut Grove, which is owned by an Australian ex-pat, Julian, who will readily regale you with stories guaranteed to fascinate and entertain. The setting is very casual. The food is outstanding. We have never had something there that doesn’t produce moans of appreciation.
The Shipwreck Bar and Grill was also on our list to visit. Natalie and I found it nearly twenty years ago when it was just getting started, but had not been back until this year. It has expanded exponentially over the years, yet it remains delightfully shabby.
Just down the beach from Shipwreck is the Carambola Beach Club, which is anything but shabby. The food is outstanding and the wine list is incredible. Attached to the restaurant is a wine store, Opus, where you can purchase bottles from around ten bucks to thousands of dollars. Opus sells duty free and their wines can be enjoyed at Carambola sans corkage fee.
A quick aside, I am including a pic of Rudel, who bartends at the pool, as a special favor for one of our readers, who when I mentioned the Marriott, lit up and simply said, “Rudel!”
We didn’t eat the entire time. We took a drive to Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The history is fascinating and the views spectacular.
From there, it was a short hop to the Old Road Distillery. Far be it for me to go too long without a taste of the local libation. Interestingly, the distillery was founded in 1681, about the time the fort was being built. Anyone else see a correlation? Apparently, I’m not the only one who needs an occasional tot,
The botanical gardens on St. Kitts are at Romney Manor, which was once owned by Samuel Jefferson, who was an ancestor of Thomas Jefferson.
No wonder we like St. Kitts and Nevis. Columbus, on behalf of the Spanish discovered and claimed it on his second voyage on November 11, 1493 and named it St. Christopher. Evidently, that was too much of a mouthful for many, so it was shortened to St. Kitts. It took him a full two days to discover Nevis, which can easily be seen from most of St. Kitts. There is a 1:2 scale model of the Nina at the Marriott. It is beyond my comprehension these sailors set out on a three-thousand mile voyage in such a small boat. Yikes!
Of course, the British subsequently claimed St. Kitts, as well and took it away from the Spanish. Then the French tried to take it from the British, and St. Kitts was temporarily partitioned between the two before the French abandoned it, apparently finding nothing of value here. It’s worth noting Alexander Hamilton came from Nevis when that isle was more valuable than the entirety of North America. And, Jefferson’s family came from St. Kitts.
I wonder if someday people will say Natalie and Rick Strater lived here. Naw, I suppose not. Of course, before we can become legends in our own minds, we need to find a place we like and can afford.
Ah well, the journey continues.